Faerie Dragons

Travelling on your ship to The Thousand Stars, you're startled by the sound of cheers coming from above-decks. You rub your tired eyes - the recent storms have made it difficult to sleep - and climb out of the hold.
You arrive to see a young Vatarian barking orders at a small creature. It reminds you of a description of dragons that you read as a child. But it is much too small, for one, and as it hops through a little hoop, you notice that its wings are too injured to support its weight.
You wonder if it's a baby dragon when it suddenly snaps at a crewmate and smoke starts pouring from its nostrils. The crewmate laughs and says something to the boy in Vatar. The creature flips around to face the boy and lets out a small "yip!"
I mean, it definitely looks cute, but the smoke from its nostrils makes you wonder if it's safe...

Basic Information

Anatomy

A faerie dragon looks like many other species of lizard, with its scaled body and reptilian forked tongue. However, its draconic nature is clearly demonstrated through its small leathery wings, its spiked tail and its ability to breath small gouts of fire, which comes from a gland in its mouth.

Growth Rate & Stages

A faerie dragon starts its life as an egg, not much bigger than a tankard. Covered in small nubs and ridges, the eggs are carefully guarded by the parents until they hatch.
Not longer after that point, the wyrmling is left on its own. It has to learn how to hunt and how to keep its fiery breath under control. Many are captured at this age by poachers to be traded.
If the wyrmling survives, it will eventually grow into an adult, where it will return to its seaside perches and begin to make eggs of its own.

Ecology and Habitats

These beasts are native to seaside cliffs throughout southern Sedesta and the Thousand Stars. They roost in the crags near the tops of such cliffs and they often fly around near the water's edge down below.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Faerie dragons eat meat, and they prefer their meat to be cooked due to their weak immune system. Most of this meat comes from its diet of seabirds and the occasional fish.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Fire-breathing potions make heavy use of the fluid from a faerie dragon's mouth. This is because the glands of a regular-size dragon's mouth are much more dangerous to collect, obviously.
The scales left behind by a faerie dragon are often used as sequins by the very rich of the Thousand Stars. They are also very durable and expensive studded armour from the region may use them in the place of metal studs.

A faerie dragon seen from above. Note the clipped wings and the mostly lizard-like features.

Lifespan

55 years

Average Height

0.6 metres tall.

Average Weight

15 kg

Average Length

0.9 - 1.0 metre long

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The body of a faerie dragon can have a wide variety of colours, commonly oranges, reds and yellows but purple, blue, green and brown ones have been found in the past. They also shed from time to time, which leaves little bright scales.

Art Credit: emperorcharlesii (me!)